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When you book your slip or visit the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club, be prepared to be in the heart of Downtown Miami! DT Miami, as locals affectionately call it, draws boaters and landlubbers alike from all over the world. You may ask, what’s so great about DT Miami? Well, just about everything! It’s the oldest part of the city and its historical center, yet it has a culturally rich modern vibe. From distinctive neighborhoods, waterfront parks and world-class restaurants and bars, to theaters, museums, and galleries - if you want it, you'll soon see Downtown has it.
Of course, boaters are drawn to it like moths to a flame because it’s perfectly situated on the beautiful Atlantic Ocean waterfront, with iconic palm tree lined beaches, some of the best marinas, and off-shore islands prime for exploring. And when you’re ready to trade in your boat shoes for walking shoes or dancing shoes, and venture out of Venetian Marina and Yacht Club, Miami is just steps away, ready to charm and captivate you.
We want to help you get the most out of your visit by sharing our “must see and do” list for DT Miami. Although our list contains just a small portion of the seemingly endless things to enjoy, we know it will not disappoint.
Dining and nightlight
Whether you’re in the mood for an evening of fine dining, or good but cheap eats on the run, DT Miami has both – and everything in between.
Chef Jeremy Ford’s restaurant, Stubborn Seed, just across A1A on the beachside from the marina, is seasonally driven and features an eclectic menu of American eats that are as delicious to nibble as they are to look at. But it’s not stuffy, it’s lively and thoroughly fun. Another must visit is Crazy About You. It’s chill lounge setting, prestigious dining room, and picturesque waterfront dining has made it one of Brickell's (a cool urban neighborhood of DT Miami) preferred upscale destinations.
On those days when you want something both cheap and delicious, head to Burrito San on 5th Street in Miami Beach. It’s known for its out of this world burgers and burritos - home to the ramen burger and the sushi burrito. How can you not try? In the mood for a good old-fashioned sandwich? Who isn’t? Now, whenever you put “La” in front of a name, you think expensive. Well not when it’s La Sandwicherie. They’ve been serving “heavenly sandwiches in Miami Beach since 1988.” With locations in both DT Miami and Brickell, you can conveniently try your appetite and dexterity with a thoroughly stuffed mile-high sandwich. It will ruin you for any other sandwich and is a straight shot from the marina, across the Venetian Causeway Bridge to the beach!
Oh, and we must tell you about Miami’s best kept secret; Soya e Pomodoro. It serves delightful and authentic Italian cuisine created by “two Italians with a dream.” Its homey atmosphere makes you feel like you’re eating in a southern Italian family’s kitchen. Manga!
Arts and culture
One of your first stops certainly should be the Maurice A. Ferre Park (Museum Park) . Overlooking Biscayne Bay, this extraordinary park is home to both the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) as well as the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. This stop is a feast for the inquisitive mind and happens to be neighbors to the Venetian Marina so you don’t have to travel far.
From there, it’s a short walk to one of the most iconic building in DT Miami’s skyline, the Freedom Tower. It’s like visiting a “Miami time capsule”, with its ornamental Mediterranean Revival façade – which in itself is a work of art. This is probably why today it’s home to the Miami Dade College Museum of Art + Design (MDC MOA+D) with a full calendar of exhibitions, events and programs.
If live music and theater is more your thing, you should check out the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Not only does it house the Ziff Ballet Opera House, Knight Concert Hall and Carnival Studio Theater featuring some of the top performers of our time, but the gleaming structure is an architectural gem. And if you’re in the mood for BIG entertainment with major touring concerts and Miami HEAT games, you only have to head to the FTX Arena just down the street. Of course, if you want to add starry skies and ocean breezes to your entertainment landscape, Miami is also home to the PFL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park. It’s open-air entertainment at its best.
Shopping and entertainment
Shop ‘til you drop may not have been invented in DT Miami, but it certainly was perfected here! Bayside Marketplace is a reflection of the real Miami. It’s a two-level, open-air festival center with more than 150 shops and 12 restaurants. But because Miami loves its sunshine, and it’s shopping, there is another open-air dining and shopping complex - Brickell City Centre. It’s an upscale assortment of posh shops including Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple and Sephora. And for the rainy days, there is a CMX luxury movie theater.
Bayfront Park, adjacent to Bayside Marketplace, was Miami’s first public gathering place. This idyllic park now spans 32 acres in the heart of DT Miami. It’s perfect for running, biking or just relaxing. It’s also home to the much-loved Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel. Towering 176 feet in the sky, it features 42 climate-controlled gondolas, each with a breathtaking panoramic view of beautiful DT Miami, Biscayne Bay, and miles of the surrounding area.
Last, but certainly not least, most boaters know that the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club is a proud host of the annual Miami International Boat Show. It’s THE event for all things boating and occurs each February!
Now you know why we think DT Miami has something for everyone, and the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club is the perfect place for boaters to experience it.
Written by: Jo Montgomery